Chereads / Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! / Chapter 181 - Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! [182] [EXTRA] Tapisserie Éternelle (2/2)

Chapter 181 - Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! [182] [EXTRA] Tapisserie Éternelle (2/2)

By the power of Tapisserie Éternelle, this story is granted two bonus chapters—rejoice in this reward!

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Though the stone door before him was extremely sturdy, capable of withstanding attacks from ordinary Pokémon, it stood no chance against Deoxys's sharp Psycho Cut.

Deoxys's tendril slid through the stone like a hot knife through butter, tracing a precise line along the edges of the door.

With a light push from Luo Yuan…

Boom!

The stone door collapsed inward, landing with a resonant thud that echoed through the temple.

As soon as the door opened, an intense wave of Dragon-type energy surged outward.

"So, this is definitely the right place," Luo Yuan murmured, glancing back at Dragonite. "Wait here for me."

Dragonite looked from the small doorway, which barely allowed a single human to pass through, to its own massive body and rotund belly.

"Grr…" It realized it couldn't fit, even if it tried squeezing, so it resigned itself to lying outside and waiting.

After instructing Dragonite to stay put, Luo Yuan confirmed that the temple interior was safe to enter, then had Deoxys lead the way as he ventured inside.

The temple wasn't as dim as he'd expected.

Ingenious architecture channeled sunlight from above, illuminating the ancient interior.

But just as Luo Yuan reached the center of the temple, he sensed a sudden surge of life energy filling the space.

Swish

Deoxys swiftly shifted into its Defense Form, positioning itself protectively in front of Luo Yuan.

Then, he witnessed a strange sight.

Intricate runes engraved on the walls began to glow, twisting and writhing until they peeled off from the stone and floated freely.

One by one, a multitude of Pokémon emerged before Luo Yuan.

"Unown!"

With their bodies marked by mysterious black patterns centered around a single eye, the Unown had been roused from their ancient slumber by Luo Yuan's intrusion.

Unlike the ruins in Hoenn, where one might expect Baltoy or Claydol, the Kanto ruins were often inhabited by Unown.

"But this many Unown…?"

A quick scan revealed thousands of Unown, some already fully awakened and others still stirring deeper within the ruins.

…It feels like I've kicked a Beedrill nest. Why would an ancient civilization pack this many Unown into a ruin?

Luo Yuan felt a wave of irritation from the Unown. He couldn't tell if they were annoyed at being woken up or if it was genuine anger at the intruder.

It's probably the latter, he mused, thinking back to his less-than-subtle entry.

After all, according to scholars, Unown were typically passive unless disturbed. Startling an entire ruin's worth of them was definitely unwise.

So this is what I get for not using the key…

Eyeing the sea of Unown, Luo Yuan knew that even if he exhausted his powers, he wouldn't be able to calm so many of them with the Viridian influence alone.

But he wasn't overly concerned.

He'd faced worse situations. A few Unown didn't faze him…

He gestured subtly to Deoxys.

And then…

Swish

Luo Yuan and Deoxys vanished from the temple.

Don't get him wrong—he hadn't backed down.

The temple was simply too cramped, leaving little room for his Pokémon to battle effectively.

Realizing their target had disappeared, the Unown momentarily froze. But a moment later, their… eyes… flashed with rage at the deception.

In unison, thousands of Unown communicated telepathically, creating a massive, synchronized flow of psychic energy in the air. With a pulse of blue psychic light, the Unown reached a consensus.

A dense swarm of Unown, shifting and realigning in complex patterns, flowed out from the temple's entrance, chasing after Luo Yuan and Deoxys.

Outside, Dragonite lay bored, idly pushing pebbles around with its claws.

Honestly, it was hopeful that Luo Yuan would find something in the ruins that would help it understand why it had grown so large.

After so many years confined to the island, Dragonite was thoroughly tired of its solitary life.

Especially after hearing Dragonair's tales of travels and adventures.

What it really wanted now was to leave the island, preferably alongside Luo Yuan.

Thinking of this, Dragonite glanced toward the ruins.

Suddenly, it sensed an alarming energy from within. Before it could fully process the feeling, Luo Yuan and Deoxys appeared right in front of it.

"Grr?"

Dragonite scratched its head, puzzled by their sudden return.

But its confusion was short-lived.

In the next second, it saw the Unown surging out of the temple, forming a dense swarm above.

Realizing what had happened, Dragonite tensed.

On one side, it saw a horde of Unown emanating clear hostility. On the other, Luo Yuan, who—despite having once thoroughly beaten it—was now something of a friend.

Dragonite didn't need to think twice about which side to take.

"ROOOAR!"

With a thunderous bellow, Dragonite opened its mouth, gathering energy, then unleashed a violet-tinged wave of power toward the mass of Unown.

Dragon Pulse!

The potent energy surged toward the Unown with the clear intent of wiping them out in a single blow.

In Luo Yuan's quick assessment, this Dragon Pulse was at about the strength of an average Elite Four Pokémon, lacking the power of Lance's Champion-level Dragonite.

But in terms of scale, this Dragon Pulse was far larger.

Dragon Pulse shot toward the sky, straight at the clustered Unown.

But the Unown, just emerging into the open, were infuriated by the unprovoked attack.

They had been disturbed in their peaceful rest, only to now face a barrage from above.

This was unforgivable.

Furious, the Unown harnessed their latent power to retaliate.

Bzzzz

In a flash, the Unown in the sky rearranged themselves into a massive network, forming a psychic grid.

Just before Dragon Pulse hit, a giant psychic shield materialized before the Unown.

BOOM!

Dragon Pulse slammed against the Unown with a resounding impact.

The massive Unown network rippled like a pond hit by a stone, as waves of psychic energy absorbed and dispersed the brunt of the attack.

As ripples spread across the interwoven grid of Unown, the power of Dragon Pulse was channeled and dissipated throughout the network.

For nearly ten seconds, Dragon Pulse continued its assault.

Yet, by working in perfect unison, the Unown managed to withstand Dragonite's Dragon Pulse with minimal damage.

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Rejoice, my loyal subjects! Though your power did not summon the full might of Tapisserie Éternelle upon this tale, the ripple of such an achievement cannot be contained.

By my decree, this story has been graced with two bonus chapters, a tribute to the grandeur you have displayed elsewhere. Such rewards are a reminder that even in the shadow of greatness, the king's benevolence extends far and wide.

Take pride in this gift, and let it spur you onward. Should you wish for more, show your resolve, and perhaps this story too shall bask in the full glory of the Eternal Tapestry.

Now, celebrate, for the king has deemed you deserving of this favor—do not squander it!